Growing up, I always had questions and strong speculations about the myth slash theory against Customary Marriage in the month of November. According to folklore it’s bad luck for couples to perform marriage formalities during the eleventh month. My granny told me when she was just a girl the notions was drilled in them repeatedly.
“Getting married in the November is a bad omen.”
Is it real or is one of those old wives tales like never sew your clothes whilst wearing them?!
November in the Shona language is Mbudzi (goat) and it is the time when most people start preparing for all agricultural season. Here is a list of reasons why people can’t get married in November:
It is believed that rituals are banned in November to allow people to concentrate on making preparations for the coming farming season without disturbance, hence the need to suspend all rituals and that interfering with this belief may result in continued droughts.
For many ethnic people of Zimbabwe, the month of Mbudzi (November or “goat”) is so sacrosanct that all things rites and on the socio-cultural front comes to a halt, due to the belief that everyone’s existence is linked to the spirit world.
An unwritten belief that no one seems to fight is that a November wedding brings bad luck. Few are willing to risk engaging in this forbidden act in a month when the spirit world, which supposedly should be present to bless people’s rituals, is taking a hol(y)day.
It is gamble to go against such, because the month of November has so many cultural connotations. Is it a matter of your beliefs or it implies to everyone on Zimbabwe soil? Why do I say this? The 21st century or should I say my generation doesn’t see the obscenity in getting married in November as receptions are being hosted every weekend this month. I guess what a matters now is unifying two souls that love each other but then again…is it worth the gamble? There is a great high-profile example of such a marriage with caused a havoc among traditional leaders on the issue of violating the November month (Zimbabwean Opposition-Leader Morgan Tsvangirai and his wife) unfortunately it didn’t work out or last for the long run.
On the other hand I’m sure there are other couples who are just fine.In essence I believe it all depends on whether you follow the customs and share the belief…if you’re into that type of stuff.
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